Folding table



June 19, 1934-v E. J. COFFED FOLDING TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 2, 19:53 ig- Va vvia 7;

x w 42 M Patented June 19, 1934 PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLE Earl J. Cuffed, Lancaster, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to Olive 0. Jefferson, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application May 2, 1933, Serial No. 668,948

8 Claims. (CI. 45-11) This invenion relates generally to improvements in table construction, larly to tables having foldable or collapsible legs, whereby the table can be compactly folded for storage when not in use.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a table of this character wherein the legs are so mounted as-to be movable in unison or simultaneously to' a folded and unfolded position.

Another object is to provide a folding table having simple, inexpensive and sturdy means for eifectually bracing the legs in their unfolded position'in combination with reliable and pos'- l5 tive means for causing the simultaneous and uniform movement of the several legs to their folded and unfolded positions.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:- Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved table with the legs unfolded and ready for use. Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view thereof with the legs shown unfolded by full lines and folded or collapsed by' dotted lines. an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken substantially in the plane of line 3-3, Figure 2. Fig- 80 ure 4r, is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the table showing the leg-actuating means and associated parts. Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross section taken on lines'5-5, Figure 4..

Similar characters of reference indicate cor- :6 responding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates the table top which may be of any suitable and well known construction, being provided at its corners and on the underside thereof with reso inforcing brackets 11. Pivoted to these brackets to swing vertically to an upright supporting position or to a collapsed, folded position against the underside of the table top, are legs 12, each leg being adapted to assume a folded position along and substantially parallel to the respective sides of the table. As seen in Figure 4, each corner bracket 11 is'formed to provide a substantially U-shaped portion 13 in which the upper end of the respective leg is received and so to which it is pivoted, as indicated at 14.. The

upper end of each leg preferably has a metallic pivot-engaging strap 15 embracing the same; and as seen in Figures 3 and 4, this strap projects beyond the inner side of the leg with the pivot 14 pa ing through such and more particujointly fulcrumed at Figure 3 1S extension and located position parallel to the adjacent the upper end thereof, whereby the legpivot is brought inwardly of the longitudinal center line of the leg.

Mounted on the undersi e of the table top 10 and operatively connected to the respective legs 12 for simultaneously actuating them to their folded and unfolded positions, upon the user grasping one of the legs and shifting it accordingly, is an oscillating or horizontallyswlnging controlling or actuating means preferably consisting of crossed arms 16 disposed at substantially right angles to each other and their point of intersection to a pivot-stud 1'7 disposed centrally of the table top and carried by an attaching plate 18 secured to the underside of such top. Adjacent their outer ends these crossed arms 16 are braced or reinforced by diagonally disposed tie bars 19. Applied to the inner sides of the depending sides of the table top and substantially centrally thereof, are channelled guide rails 20 containing longitudinal slots 21 for receiving and guiding the outer or terminal ends of the crossed arms 16. For this purpose the terminal ends of these arms are bent downwardly and outwardly to provide ears or lugs 22 which engage the companion channel slots 21, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The means for operatively connecting the respective legs to the horizontally-swinging crossed arms 16 preferably consist of tie members or braces 23, each pivotally connected at one end by a pivot 24 to the leg and at its opposite end to a pivot 25 carried by the depending web portion 26 of the companion guide lug 22 on the correspondingarm 16, as depicted in Figures 3 and 4. As there shown, the pivot 24 bywhich the brace is connected to the leg is disposed below and outwardly of the leg pivot 14, whereby each leg is not only effectually braced in its unfolded position but a favorable leverage also provided for effecting the ready folding or collapsing of the legs. V

To prevent accidental collapse-of the legs in. their unfolded or extended operative position, I provide a spring catch or locking bolt 2'7 which is applied to one of the crossed arms 16 and is adapted to releasably engage an opening 28 formed. in a strap 29 applied to the underside of the table, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

When it is desired to fold the table,the latch 27 is released and one of the legs 12 grasped and swung toward the underside of the table, which movement results in all of the legs being simultaneously and uniformly moved to their folded table-top, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. In the folded position of the legs, the relative disposition of the respective pivots 14, 24 and 25 of the legs and brace members 23 is such that the legs are effectually held to the underside of the table and yet provide a favorable leverage when unfolding the legs to their operative position. When swinging the legs to such position, the user simply grasps one of the legs and swings it outwardly, the remaining legs being moved in unison therewith to their unfolded position.

I claim as my invention:-.-

1. A folding table, comprising a top, legs pivotally mounted thereon, an oscillating means pivoted substantially centrally of the underside of said top and having substantially radial arms facing the respective sides thereof, guide-slots disposed along the sides of the table-top and into which the terminal ends of said arms extend and are guided and supported against vertical displacement, and leg-braces pivotally connected at their ends to the legs and to the radial portions of said oscillating means, respectively.

2. A folding table, comprising a top having horizontal guide-ways parallel to the sides thereof, legs pivotally mounted thereon, an oscillating means pivoted substantially centrally of the underside of said top and having substantially ra-' dial arms facing the respective sides thereof, the terminal ends of said radial arms having offset guide lugs engaging said horizontal guide-ways.

for supporting the arms against vertical displacement, and leg-braces pivotally connected at their ends to the respective legs and to the companion web portions of said guide lugs.

3. A folding table, comprising a top, legs pivoted adjacent the corners thereof and foldable against the underside of the same, each leg being fulcrumed adjacent its upper end and inwardly of its longitudinal center line, actuating means applied to the underside of the table-top to swing in a plane parallel thereto and having portions facing the four sides thereof, and verticallyswinging brace members pivotally connecting said legs with the companion portions of said actuating means, the pivots connecting the brace members with their legs being located below and on the opposite side of the longitudinal center lines thereof as are the legp'ivots.

4. A folding table, comprising a top having inwardly-facing longitudinal guide-ways at its sides, legs pivoted at their upper ends adjacent the corners of said top and foldable against the underside of the same, actuating meansapplied to the underside of the table-top to swing in a plane parallel thereto and having radial portions facingthe four sides thereof and extending at their free terminal ends into and engaging said guideways to hold such portions against vertical displacement, and vertically-swinging brace members pivoted at one end to the respective legs, and at their opposite ends by horizontal pivots adjacent the guided ends of the companion radial portions of said actuating means, the pivot of each brace member to its companion actuating radial portion being disposed in a plane between its pivotal connection to the leg and the legpivot.

5. A folding table, comprising a top having in weirdly-facing, longitudinal guideways at its sides, legs pivoted at their upper ends adjacent the corners of said top and foldable against the underside of the same, leg-actuating means applied to the underside of the table-top to swing in a plane parallel thereto and consisting of crossed arms pivoted at their point of intersection substantlally centrally of the top and facing the four sides of said top, said arms terminating at their outer ends in guide lugs extending into and engaging said guideways to hold the arms against vertical displacement and including web portions adjoining the guideways, and brace members connecting said legs by horizontal pivots with the web portions of said companion crossed arms.

6. A folding table, comprising a top, legs pivotally mounted thereon an oscillating means pivoted substantially centrally of the underside of said top and having substantially radial portions facing the respective sides thereof, leg braces pivotally connected at their ends to the legs and to the radial portions of said oscillating means, respectively, and means for latching said oscillating means in a set position including a strap having an open'ng therein applied to the underside of the table-top and a releasable'latch pin applied to said oscillating means and engageable with said strap-opening.

7-. A folding table, comprising a top having inwardly-facing, longitudinal guideways at its sides, legs pivoted at their upper ends adjacent the corners of said top and foldable against the underside of the same, leg-actuating means applied'to the underside of the table-top to swing in a plane parallel thereto and consisting of crossed arms pivotedv at their point of intersection substantially centrally of the top and facing the four sides of said top, said arms terminating at their outer ends in guide lugs engaging said guideways and including web portions, brace members pivotally connecting said legs with the web portions of said companion crossed arms, a strap having an opening therein applied to the underside of the table top in proximity to one of said crossed-arms, and a latch pin carried by such crossed-arm and engageable with said strap-opening.

8. A folding table comprising a top, legs pivotally mounted thereon, guide rails applied to the underside of the top .parallel to the sides thereof and having longitudinal slots therein, an oscillating means pivoted substantially centrally of the underside of said top and having radial portions facing the respective sides thereof, the

terminal endsof said radial portions extending into the companion slots in said guide rails, for supporting such portions against vertical displacement, and leg-braces pivotally connected at their ends to the respective legs and to the companion radial portions of said oscillating means, the pivot connections of the braces'to the radial portions of said oscillating means being horizontal and being disposed at an elevation between the leg-pivots and the base-pivots of the legs.

EARL J. COFFED. 1 

